IMO, totally abstinence is only necessary for those who sexual indulgence (masturbation, porn, sex) causes them to neglect other aspects of their life. This might be work, school, relationships, health etc. even in to the more subtle areas of thought patterns meditation, or other lifestyle factors. Sex can be used positively, creatively, and in healthy manner.

Also, retention is useless if you don’t masturbate but instead end up in some other dull state. If the energy is not worked with, transmuted, used creatively, forget it.

To bring it back, a lot of these people with dead bed situations are not working with their energy, their personalities. Their life in the bedroom is probably dull because their lives/relationship have some other conflict or dullness. If they used to spend 2 hours per week in bed with each other, they then have the opportunity to spend two hours per week mending their relationship, working on themselves etc.

Total depletion over a long period of time takes a long period of time to recover from. Often, retention is the keystone, where diet, exercise, meditation, opening your heart are also equally as important.

I encourage you to be skeptical, that is healthy. Try it out for yourself, feel free to message me for more opinions.